India's first uranium mine is located in the Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, which is situated in the eastern part of India. The mine is called Jaduguda Uranium Mine and was established in 1967. The mine is owned and operated by the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), which is a public sector enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India.
The Jaduguda Uranium Mine is the first and oldest uranium mine in India. It is also one of the deepest uranium mines in the world, with a depth of about 640 meters. The mine has been in operation for more than five decades and has been a significant source of uranium for India's nuclear energy program. The Jaduguda Uranium Mine has been producing uranium ore with an average grade of 0.06% since its inception.
The discovery of uranium in the Singhbhum district was made in 1951 during the exploration of copper and other minerals in the region. The Jaduguda Uranium Mine was developed soon after the discovery of uranium, and the mining operations began in 1967. The mine initially had a capacity of 300 tonnes of ore per day, which was later increased to 500 tonnes per day.
The uranium ore from the Jaduguda Uranium Mine is processed at the Jaduguda Mill, which is also owned and operated by UCIL. The mill has a capacity of 2,050 tonnes per day and produces uranium oxide concentrate, which is the feedstock for India's nuclear reactors. The mill uses conventional methods of ore beneficiation, including crushing, grinding, and flotation, to produce the uranium concentrate.
The Jaduguda Uranium Mine has played a crucial role in India's nuclear energy program. The uranium produced at the mine is used to fuel India's Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which are the backbone of India's nuclear power generation. The PHWRs are designed to use natural uranium as fuel, which is why the Jaduguda Mine's low-grade ore is suitable for India's nuclear reactors.
In conclusion, India's first uranium mine is located in the Singhbhum district of Jharkhand and is called the Jaduguda Uranium Mine. It has been in operation since 1967 and has been a significant source of uranium for India's nuclear energy program. The mine is owned and operated by UCIL and produces uranium ore with an average grade of 0.06%. The ore is processed at the Jaduguda Mill, which produces uranium oxide concentrate used to fuel India's nuclear reactors.
